COLLIDE (camren AU)

(REVISED EDITION): 1

The steady thump in her chest gradually became faster.

It was her first time since third grade to go back to school. The fact that she's younger than most made it more scary for her. It is high school after all, it is meant to be scary.

But the kids are older than her. More mature and experienced than her. Well, that's the main reason why she was finally going to an actual school. To have the experience the world outside of her home that she ultimately lacks of.

Since she was eight, she opted to be homeschooled. She begged her parents to have her stay in the house instead of attending a regular school children her age go to. Of course, her parents very much preferred something normal for her but they can't just ignore her wishes. That is because she isn't exactly as normal as other children were.

At a young age, she found social interaction difficult. She was scared of people. As a child, she was very quiet and timid, and as her parents' only daughter, she always kept to herself, excluding herself from her brothers. Her older brothers, being boys with excessive energy and overactive imaginations, were rough, loud and rowdy. It was too much for a little girl like her and her parents couldn't help it at the beginning.

Despite her being shy, quiet and timid, she was attentive. She pays attention to almost everything despite of her timidness. She's scared of people outside her family but she always paid attention to everyone else and the little things they do. She was perceptive and observant and a fast learner. So when she reached schooling age, she was a bit more smarter than her peers. And instead of earning confidence from her wits and intelligence, she felt more like an outcast. Especially when other kids started picking on her because she was so smart.

She was able to endure all the teasing, the pranks and name calling, up until in third grade when a boy splashed her a bucketful of slushy in the school hallway. Everybody laughed and she was fed up. She has grown tired and angry for all the petty and stupid things they do to her. So, as she finally thinks it's time to stand up for herself, she faced the boy and as she tried to throw her tightly clenched fist at his laughing face. But she miscalculated her move. She missed her aim and as she swung forcibly, she slipped on the wet floor. She fell face first on the ground earning a more boisterous cackle and loud laughter.

She stayed right there facedown, her tears mixed with the sticky ice cold puddle, until a teacher pulled her up.

Since then, she never wanted to go back to school. Not even until now to be honest...

Years later since she was eight, she was once again standing in front of a huge and tall building painted in pastel blue and yellow. Crowds of people bustle about around her making her feel claustrophobic despite being outside and sick to her stomach.

"It's gonna be alright, sweetie... You'll do great," her mom gave her a side hug and a reassuring smile. She may not show it, but the woman was also nervous for her youngest child. It is understandable since the girl was only thirteen and already entering ninth grade. The last time she sent her daughter to school was a long time ago and it wasn't a pleasant experience knowing a bit too late that her child suffered bullying.

"Call me or your dad at the first sign of trouble, okay?" The young girl nodded once and sighed, "alright... Off you go sweetie, I'll see you later,"

She felt her mom wrap her arms around her tightly and kissed her beanie covered head. Soon after, she only felt the wind blew softly on her skin as her mom pulled away and started walking towards the parking lot to the car. Watching her mom walk further from her made her feel even more nervous than she already was. The thudding in her chest escalated it's speed, she doesn't know how to slow it down. If she felt sick to her stomach a little while ago, now she just wanna puke right where she stood and then pass out until high school is over.